Allegheny Highlands Forest Recovery Director

What We Can Achieve Together :

The Allegheny Highlands Forest Recovery Director will build and oversee a large team and a budget of over $4 million / year to deliver forest restoration projects in collaboration with the US Forest Service. Their work will be focused on delivering on a forest restoration scope of work under a 10-year Disaster Recovery award with the US Forest Service. They will build and lead a team of four professional fire and forest restoration specialists. They will manage with excellence four direct reports and will be responsible for performance management, training, and career development. They will be responsible for working with contractors in both fire and forest restoration across the western mountains of Virginia. The Forest Recovery Director will work closely with the US Forest Service to prioritize silvicultural and fire projects, troubleshoot implementation challenges, and deliver results while maintaining relationships with local partners. In this 10-year term position they will sequence implementation projects across the Virginia mountains to create a steady pipeline of work. They will have administrative oversight over delivering on the forest restoration scope of work and will complete required grant reporting.

Projects will be focused on restoring fire-adapted forests with prescribed fire and silviculture, and will require skillsets in project planning, preparing teams and resources, prescription implementation, and assessments of success. The Allegheny Highlands Forest Recovery Director will have some technical skills, ideally with fire qualifications, to add to our team and will support and aid in implementation. They will play a role in our Fire Learning Networks that includes providing technical expertise, sharing lessons that we are learning, and cultivating strategic and authentic relationships with a broad variety of federal, state, and nonprofit partners. The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) forest restoration goals in the Southern Appalachian region center on enhancing the resilience, connectivity, and ecological integrity of these fire-adapted forest landscapes. By focusing on both landscape-scale restoration and targeted habitat improvements, TNC is committed to restoring the quality of forest habitats that support the extraordinary biodiversity for which the Southern Appalachians are globally renowned. The projects will be carried out in close collaboration with the US Forest Service as well as other state, non-profit, and Tribal partners.

The Allegheny Highlands Forest Recovery Director will report to the Allegheny Highlands Program Director. They will work closely with a robust team of fire practitioners in Virginia as well as working across the six state Southern Appalachian area. They will contribute as a thought leader to advancing Appalachians-wide forest resilience outcomes through TNC's Appalachians forestry strategies and teams.

They may work in variable weather conditions, at remote location, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances. The Forest Recovery Director will be asked to work with donors as appropriate, which sometimes will include working on evenings and weekends. The position is based out of TNC's office in Lexington with hybrid work options available. It is a full-time, ten-year term position without renewal.

We're Looking for You :

If you're looking for a career where you can find meaning and purpose, come join our Chapter as the Allegheny Highlands Forest Recovery Director! Not only will you fulfill conservation objectives in the beautiful mountains of Virginia, but you'll contribute to conservation goals through many networks!

We're looking for a passionate, dedicated person to lead our mountains forest restoration work for the next 10 years. Systems leadership, excellent managerial skills, creative problem solving, and the ability to influence without authority are key in this role. Come join TNC and apply today!

What You'll Bring :

• BA / BS degree and 5 years' experience in natural resource management, including forestry, terrestrial ecology, fire ecology or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects simultaneously, including staffing, workloads and finances under deadlines.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance of professional employees.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and government agencies.
• Experience negotiating.
• Must be able to obtain the qualifications for Prescribed Fire Crew Member (RXCM) or Fire Fighter Type 2 (FFT2)(See TNC Fire Management Manual. ), including meeting the physical fitness standard of moderate or arduous (See TNC Physical Fitness Testingl)
• Must have valid Driver's License and be willing to travel to project sites.
• Experience performing physical work outdoors in all conditions.
• Experience using Microsoft Office; Outlook, Word, Excel, GPS and ArcGIS and / or similar applications.

Desired Qualifications

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program . Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned / leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page under the FAQ section. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Salary Information :

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $80,000 - $90,000. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

Who We Are :

The Nature Conservancy's mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We're rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it's career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there's many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant's unique experience. Please apply - we'd love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, "you'll join for the mission, and stay for the people."

What We Bring :

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We're proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.